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The Heroic Service of Prince Edward Island Nurses in the Great War

Published by Island Studies Press at the University of Prince Edward Island, Those Splendid Girls tells the story of nursing in the First World War, through the eyes of Prince Edward Island nurses who served in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. Their stories of mud, blood and courage reflect the experiences of all Canadian women, from all provinces, who chose to go to war.

Six members of the MacLeod family of Charlottetown served in the Great War, including nursing sisters Claire (standing) and Winnifred. After the war Winnifred became a pioneer of public health nursing on P.E.I.

Christine Matheson and her brother of Belle River. Christine served overseas with the Harvard Medical Unit.

Laura Gordon of Cascumpec served in France and England from 1916-19. She nursed in Manitoba and Ontario before retiring home to P.E.I.

Beatrice MacDonald of North Bedeque, P.E.I. was the most decorated nurse in WWI, from any army nursing corps, from any country.

Hannah Fyfe of Stanley Bridge served in American and Canadian units. She nursed in the U.S. after the war, and retired to P.E.I.

Sophie Carr of St. Eleanors, P.E.I. served with the CAMC from 1916-1920, in England, France and Canada.

Christine MacDonald of Bellevue, P.E.I. served with the Harvard Unit and the CAMC, in France and England. After the war she did specialty nursing with cancer patients.

The wounded arrived by ambulance.

Nurses and soldiers chowing down on an ambulance train.

Katie Beaton of East Point, P.E.I., sitting centre, served with the American army in France for the last year of the war.

Lillian Pidgeon of Kensington, P.E.I., second from right, was a friend and special nurse to John McCrae in his dying hours. McCrae wrote In Flanders Fields.

Georginia Pope of Summerside, P.E.I. nursed in the Boer War before becoming the first Matron of the CAMC.